Fruit-grader.



E. N. MAULL.

FRUIT GRADBR.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 28, 1911.

. 1 035 1 Patented Aug. 20, 1912.

2 SHEBTSBHBET 1.

Q Q R s Q5 N N N N I ['di/d/W'AZ/W/M/Z Witnesses Inventor I Attorneys E. N. MAULL.

FRUIT GRADER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 28,1911.

Patented Aug. 20, 1912.

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Inventor izMrd/IZ/Mazz/ b4 Attorneys Witnesses by W UNITED s rarr s rgrnnr oFFio EDWARD. N. MAULL, OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA.

FRUIT GRADER.

To all whom it may concn Be it known that I, EDWARD N. MAULL, -a citizen of the United States, residing at Jacksonville, in the county of Duval and State of Florida, have invented a new and useful Fruit-Grader, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for grading oranges, rape fruits, and the like.

It has been dithcult, heretofore, to properly grade round fruits, such as oranges, for the reason that some of the fruits are of irregularcontours and have been graded according to their smallest diameters instead of by their greatest diameters, said last named method being the most desirable.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide means whereby fruits of varying diameters will be accurately graded according to their greatest dimensions, the largest fruits being first removed while the smallest ones are discharged last, thus reducing the load to which the machine is subjected while in operation.

A further object is to provide a fruit grading machine having means whereby each fruit is rotated during its movement through the machine thus positively engaging the gage used in connection with the machine and insuring the ejection of the fruit at the point where its greatest diameter is equal tothe distanceto which the gage is that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of What is claimed, without departing fromthe spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, the preferred form of the invention has been shown. I

In said drawings :-F 1gnre 1 1s a s1de elevation of the machine. Fig. 2 is a plan view 1911. Serial No. 641,099.

thereof. Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical transverse section on the line A-B Fig. 2. -Fig. 4 is a plan view of a portion of one of the rollers. Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of one of the gages.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates a frame mounted on suitable supports 2 and provided, at desired intervals, with standards 3 connected by cross members 4 and by longitudinal side the sides of the frame and delivery boards -7 are arranged upon the upper edges of the boards 6 and efrtend inwardly and upwardly therefrom and throughoutthe length thereof. Notches are formed within the upper edges of the side strips or boards 6 and receive projections 8 formed at the inner ends of partitions 9. The outer ends of these partitions have projections 10 detachably seated in notches 11 formed in the outer side walls 12 of bins 13, One of these bins is disposed at each side of'the frame 1, the bottom of each bin being covered with or formed of a wire or other fabric, such as indicated at 14. Obviously the partitions 9 serve to divide the bins into different compartments, the lower edges' of the partitions resting on the bottoms of the bins. By disengaging the partitions from the notches in which they are seated and placing them in other notches, the sizes of the compartments between the partitionscan be varied at will. Supporting strips 15 are secured to the upper portions of the standards 3 and upon the inner faces thereof. there being parallel grooves 16 within the inner faces of these strips. Said grooves are adapted to receive the end portions of cross bars threaded hangers 18 held in plaq by win nuts 19 or other suitable adjusting means. The lower ends of the hangers engage the corner portions of a frame 20-having a. central spacing strip 21 extending downwardly therefrom and guide strips 22 se cured to the lower face of the frame at the sides of the. strip 21. These guide strips are slotted and adjusting blocks 23 are slidably mounted in the slots and have adjusting screws 24 swiveled therein and extending through the frame 20. Blocks 23 bear' downwardly upon coiled springs 25,'the ends of the springs being secured to the sides of the frame 20 while the middle portions thereof extend under the central spacstrips 5. Face boards 6 are secured along l and these cross bars are engagedbv sqrevj.

ing strip 21. It will thus be apparent that These springs, their frames 20 and bars 17 coiiperate to form a gage having a broad lower face as indicated in Fig. 5 and any desired number of gages may be used. It is preferred to use one gagefor each compartment at one side of.the machine or, in other words, one gage for each pair of opposed bin compartments. If desired, .however, two or more gages can be placed close together so as to form practically a single continuous gage and in that'event the partitions separating the compartments located at the sides of the'said gages, can be removed so as to'increase the capacities of the compartments adapted to receive fruit from under the gages. i

A pair of arms 26 is extended from one end of the frame 1 and a transversely extending drive. shaft 27 is journaled thereon, this shaft being provided atone end with a fixed pulley 28 and a loose pulley 29 either of which is adapted to berotated by a belt not shown. A sprocket 30 is secured upon the shaft 27 and an endless belt of canvas or other suitable flexible material extends partly therearound and longitudinally of the frame 1 and midway between the sides of the frame. This. belt, which has been iniiiicated at 31, also extends partly around a sprocket wheel 32 secured to a shaft 33 which is journaled upon arms 34 extending from the other end of frame 1. At points between the sprockets 30 and 32, the upper run of the belt is supported by a guide strip 35 mounted at suitable points upon posts or standards 36. The side portions of the beltare unsupported by the sprockets 30 and 32 and are thus free to hang downwardly and to travel along inclined guide strips 37 disposed along the sides of the strip 35.

Parallel shafts 38 are arranged longitudinally above the frame 1 and along opposite sides of the guide strips 35 and 37, these shafts being mounted in suitable bearings 39 located adjacent the ends of the shafts and are supported, at intermediate points, by'posts or brackets 40 mpunted on the frame. Each shaft 38 has twp alining rollers secured thereto and revolii'ble there with, these rollers being indicated at 41, and the inner ends of the rollers are spaced apart a' distance merely sufiicient to permit the brackets 40 to extend between them.

outer face and a rope 43 or the like is seated within the groove and extends a short distance beyond the periphery of the roller and thus forms a yielding spiral rib upon the roller, as indicated. Each-shaft 38 is provided, at one end, with a, beveled gear 44 and these gears mesh with gears 45 securedto the shaft 27. The gears are so disposed that, when shaft 27 is rotated, the two shafts 38 will be simultaneously rotated but in opposite directions.

As'shown in Figs. 1 and '2, a number of gages can be arranged in each machine. In adjustingthese gages they are placed'desired distances apart so that the fruit stopped by them will be shifted laterally by the rotating rolls into the bins. at the sides of the gages. The: gage nearest the inlet end of the machine has its springs ad of fruits to pass under them without con tacting therewith. The springs of the next gage are adjusted so as to engage and hold the largest fruits fed to the gage, although permitting the other grades of fruit to pass on to the next adjoining gage. This adjustment is continued throughout the length of the machine so that the smallest fruits supplied to the machine will be brought into contact with the springs of the last gage. lVhen fruit is supplied to the machine it is supported between the inclined sides of the belt 31 and the two rolls 41. .As the belt is constantly moving toward the discharge end of the machine it gradually rolls them alongthe rolls 41 and as these rolls are con- 'stantly rotating in the direction of the arrows shown in Fig. 2, it will be apparent that they, in turn, roll the fruits upon the belt 31. As there is a series of springs included in each of the gages, it will be seen that while each fruit is passing under the springs of each gage, said fruit will be rolled in difierent directions while Passing thereunder. so that, should it be of varying diameter, and its greatest diameter should equa? to or slightly greater than the distance between the rolls 41. and the springs 25, the fruit will frictionally engage the springs and will be rolled outwardly along the springs until it passes the vertical cen ter of the rolls whereupon the fruit will roll outwardly by gravity onto the adjacent delivery board thence into the compartment oppositethe gage. Those fruits passing under the first gage will be conveyed by the belt 31 to a position under the springs of the, next adjoining gage which is nearer the belt and the rolls 41. The foregoing operation will then be repeated and any of the fruit contacting with thesp'rings of gage will be discharged laterally onto the delivery board thence into the bin or compartment opposite the gage Thespiral ribs upon the rolls engage'rthe fruitsand. prevent them from piling upon the belt and not moving forwardly with suiiicient rapidity. As these ribs are of soft material, however, they will not injure the fruit contactrolling fruit about a constantly varying axis, and a gage having means extending longitudinally of and above the fruit rolling means'tor engaging any pointof-greatest diameter of fruit passing thereunder;

2. A fruit grader including means for rolling fruit about aconstantly varying axis, and a gage having yielding means extending longitudinally of and above the fruit rolling means, tor engaging any point of reatest diameter of fruitpassing thereun- 3. A fruit grader including means for rolling fruit about a constantly varyin axis,

and se arate fixed ages extending longitudinal of and at ifi'erent distances from the fruit rolling means and each having means for engaging any point of greatest diameter of fruit passing thereunder.

4.1K fruitgrader including means for rolling fruitabout a constantly varying axis, and separate spaced gages extending. longitudinally of and at different distances from the fruit rolling means and each including yielding means for engaging any point of greatest diameter of fruit passing thereunder; v

5. A fruit agrader including means for rolling fruit about a 'constantl varying axis, a gage having means exten inglongitudinally of and above the fruit rolling means for engaging any point of greatest diameter of fruit passing thereunder, and means tor adjusting the gage toward or from the fruit rolling means.

6. In a fruit grader, 2. 'ga e extendin longitudinally of the path of t e fruit, an including a group ofparallel closely related spaced. fruit engaging members, and means for rolling fruit, while under the gage, to

bring any point of greatest diameter into engagement with the members.

7. In a fruit grader, a gage extending longitudinally of the pathof the fruit and includin a yieldable fruit engaging portion, an means for rolling. fruit whlle under the gage to bring its point of eatest diameter into engagement with said portion.

8. In a' fruit grader, a ga 'e 'extendin longitudinally of the path of t e' fruitan includin a group of closely-related parallel yiel ing fruit engaging members, and means for rolling fruit while under the'gage' to bring its point of greatest diameter into engagement with said members.

9. In ii fruit grader, a. gage extending e5 longitudinally of the path of the fruit and including a group of closely related-parallel upwardly and laterally inclined fruit engaging members, and means for rolling the fruit, while under the gage, to bring its point of greatest diameter lnto engagement with said members.

'10. In a fruit grader, a gage extending longitudinally of the ath of the fruit and including 'a group of c oscly related parallel upwardly and laterally inclined fruit engag- "zin'g members yieldable upwardly, and means --for rolling fruit while unddr the gage, to bring its point of greatest diameter into enlongitudinally of the path of the fruit and including a group of closely related parallel upwardly and laterally inclined fruit engagin members-yieldable upwardly, means for r0 ling fruit, while under the gage, to, bring the point of greatest diameter of the fruit' into engagement with said members, and means or adjusting the gage toward or from the fruit rolling means.

13. A fruit grader includingaplurality of separate gages extendinglongitudinally of the path of the fruit and each including a group of closely related, parallel upwardly and laterally inclined fruit engaging members yieldable upwardly, and means tor rolling fruit under the respective gages to bring its points of greatest diameter into engagement with the member.

14. A fruit grader including a plurality of separate gages extending longitudinally of the path of the fruit and each including a group of upward] and laterally inclined fruit engaging mem ers yield'able upwardly, means for rolling fruit successively under the respective gages to bring the points of greatest diameter intoengagement with the members and means for independently adjusting the gages toward or from the fruit rolling means.

15. A fruit graderincluding an endless conveying belt, a continuously operating roll parallel with the belt and cooperating therewith to form a trough,-and a yieldable gage supported above the conveyer and roll for frictionally engaging fruit of a predetermined size.

16. A fruit grader including a conveyer belt, a roll parallel therewith and adjacent thereto, said roll and belt cooperating to form a trough, means for simultaneously and continuously rotating the roll and moving the belt, and a gage supported above the trough,said gage including adjustable yielding fruitengagmg elements.

17. A fruit grader including a conveyer belt, a'roll parallel therewith and adjacent thereto, said roll and belt cooperating to form a trough, means for simultaneously moving the'belt and for rotating the roll to revolvethe fruit in the trough about a constantly changing axis, and a gage extending over the trough and including a series of yieldable fruit enga ing elements, and means for adjusting said e ements toward or away from the trou h. I

18, In a fruit grader, a age including a frame, a spacing element epending there fi'om, a series of elastic elements connected to the frame and extending under the spacing element, means carried by the frame for adjusting said. elements toward or away from the frame, an ejecting roll mounted for rotation under the gage, and a conveyor movable close to'a-nd parallel .with the roll, said I "r 4 operating co6perating'. means roll and conveyer cooperating to form a fruit, receiving trough.

19. A .fruit grader including continuously about a constantly changing, axis, a r-piurality of. gages overhanging said means and shiftable relative to each other, each including an upwardly and laterally 3m. 11

ed group of parallel yieldable means for intercepting fruit of a predetermined r rolling the diameter, a bin having compartments oppo- I site the respective gages, and a v delivery board for directing fruit from the gages into the res )ective bins.

20. fruit grader including an endless conveyor, :1 fixed 'uide having inclined side portions constituting supports for the incli'ned side portions of thefupper run of the conveyor, rolls parallel with and cooperating with the. inclined portions of the conveyer'to form trou hs,'means for rotating the rolls to deliver uit upwardly and outwardly, and a "gage having yielding fruit engaging means for operatin with the rolls to eject fruit from the troug s.

21. A fruit grader. including conveying means, means cooperating therewith forrotating the fruits being conveyed, about a constantly changin axis, and-a gage supported above and s idable longitu inally of said-means,'said ga e including a frame, means for shifting t e frame toward and away from said conveyin means, a series of elastic fruit engaging evices supported by and depending om the frame, and means for ad'usting said devices toward and away from t e conve er. I

In testimony that claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto atiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD N: MAULL.

i I, x u 1 I C'o'ptn of this patent may be obtained for live cents each, by addressing the Commissioner at Intent, Washington, D. 0." 

